Mattress or the like



Nov. 1o, 1942. H E, WELLS 2,301,596

MATTRESS ORY THE LIKE Filed DeC. 14, 1959 mattress or related paddedPatented Nov. 10, 1942 2,301,596 MAITRESS ORTHE LIKE nai-ry E. wens,Detroit, Mich.,

Warren-Wells Co., ot Michigan o to" assign r Detroit, Mich., acorporation Application December 14, 1939', sensi-N0. 309,181'

1 claim.

period of time withoutbecoming permanently packed.

While for the purpose tion herein reference the use of the withmattre^ses, it will be understood that the present invention isapplicable to any padded article in which the padding is made up ofcotton or other similarly loosely associated bers including, forinstance, pads or padding of various kinds and descriptions, upholsteryunits for mattresses, automobile seat cushions or the like, and in itsbroader use the term mattress is to be considered, both in thespecication and claims hereof, as including such other articles.

Mattresses, whether they be of the so-called inner spring type or of thesolid tionally constructed, are made clude cotton bers usually in theform-of bats. These cotton bers become compacted or compressed under theapplication of a constant weight as, for instance, the Weight oi aperson resting upon the same, with the result that in time and usuallyaltogether too quickly the mattress loses its softness and becomespermanently hard and uncomfortable to the average person.

Objects of the present invention include the provision of a mattress orthe like including a mass of cotton or other bers which mass is soconstructed and arranged as to largely eliminate permanent compressionor packing of the same; the provision of a mattress or padding for thesame or related objects including a mass of fibrous material withreadily compressible means cooperating therewith materially moreresistive to permanent packing than the bers themselves, and operatingto relieve the bers of a packing e'ect thereon upon relieving of theweight tending to cause such packing; the provision of a elementincluding a mass of bers in which readily compressible means moreresistant to packing than the bers is interspersed uniformly orotherwise through the mass o1' bers whereby to be subjected tocompression simultaneously with compression of the bers, but actingafter the` compressive force has been relieved to return to its normalsize and, therefore, aid in returning the mass of fibers to its originalsize and condition;

will be made primarily to of simplicity of descrip-v presentinvention inconnection visionvof a method of type as convenup from or inlooseningfof the of a mattress or related padded lelerrient includ'- ing a massof bers in which readily compressible means particularly resistant tobecoming set un-` der deformation is associated with the bers in a.predetermined manner whereby to effect a stress thereon tending. tocause the bers" to becomel packed; `the provision of Va, mattress orrelated paddedele'ment includinga mass of loosely associated Vfibers inUvWinch particles of rubber, and preferably sponge rubber, arecooperatively associated with the brous mass -in such a manner. to aidthe lbrousniassA in resisting a packing effect upon it upon beingrelieved of a packing force; and the provision ofl a mattress or relatedpadded tively loose action or other bers having a plurality ofrelatively small particles'of sponge rubber uniformly or otherwise:dispersed through the massof bers.

vOther objects of the invention include the prorelated padded element,vincluding a 4 mass of lfibrous material whereby to condition the mass offibrous material against packing. inservice; andthe method ofmanufacturinga mattrerqs or other related padded article including amass of brous material so as to provideA such mass of fibrous materialwith relatively small particles of sponge rubber arrangedl therein in apredetermined manner. l

'Ihe above being among the objects of the present invention, the sameconsistsin certain novel features of construction, combination of parts,and steps of operation to be hereinafter described with reference to theaccompanying drawing, and

' then claimed, having the above and other objects in view.

In the accompanying drawing which illustrates suitable embodiments ofthe present invention and in` which like numerals refer to like partsthroughout the several different views,

Fig. `1 is a perspective view of a mattress constructed in laccordancewith. the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentarysectional view, taken on the line 2 2`of Fig. 1; the same being. a partial section through the mattressshOWninFig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragment of a portion o1' the padding employed inthe construction shown in Fig. 2; c

Fig. 4 is a more or less diagrammatic view illustrating the manner inwhich the padding the provision illustrated in Fig. 3 may bemanufactured;

bers upon-relieving of any element v'incluciinijg a mass of relamaking amattress or other Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a different form ofmattress constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken transverselythrough the mattress shown in Fig. 5 as on the line 6-6 thereof;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragment of the view showninFlg. 6; Y

Figs. 8 and 9 are views similar to Fig. 7, but illustrating modifiedforms of construction;

Eig. 10 is a transverse sectional view taken longitudinally through amattress of the same general type as shown in Fig. 5, but constructed ina modified manner and illustrating its action in response to the eiectsof the weight of a person lying upon the same.

The public generally demands that a padded article be relatively soft tothe touch. The padding of such article is generally constructed fromrelatively loose cotton or other iibers, but cotton is almostuniversally used because of its relative cheapness and unlimited supply.While such cotton, usually in the form of a bat, :may be originallyarranged in the padding so as to'impart to it the desired softness totouch, its characteristics are such that under` a prolonged compressivestress, as under the weight of a person, it is compacted or compressedand gradually takes a set in its compressed state, which destroys itssoftness to touch and therefore its desirability. This is true eventhough suich padding is associated with an upholstery or other springunits designed to enhance the yieldability of the structure as a whole.for in cases where a mattress, automobile seat cushion, or otherupholstery unit, or the like, including such spring units, is designedto support the weight of a person, the springs must necessarily be ofsuch strength and therefore rigidity as to form a sufcient support forthe weight of a person, and such rigidity is too great to particularlyenhance the softness of the structure to the touch. The padding in suchcases is employed to give the necessary softness of touch to thestructure and, accordingly, in constructions as heretofore produced, issubject to the same disadvantageous effects of permanent packing or setas in the structures formed solidly from such libres.

It is the principal object of the present invention to so construct thepadding of the type described as to substantially prevent any permanentpacking or set of the same from occurring, thereby enabling such paddingto be provided which will substantially retain its original softness tothe touch throughout its life. This is accomplished by enclosing withinthe mass of fibers of the packing, interspersing throughout the mass ofbers of the packing, or otherwise distributing or arranging in the massof fibers a mass of material preferably having a degree of yieldabilityapproaching that of the mass 0f fibers as originally presented, but of acharacter such that it is particularly resistant to 'becoming set evenunder a prolonged compressive stress. Being included in the mass offibrous.` material and therefore being subject -to compressionsimultaneously with it, it will be appreciated that upon relieving ol'the compressive stress. it will return to its originally uncompressedcondition andindoingso willservetoloosenup'theflbers of the mass and aidthem to return to their originally uncompressed condition or to acondition closely approaching the same.

Preferably, such readily compressible material resistant to permanentdeformation or set comprises a mass of relatively small particles ofsoft rubber and, in the broader aspects of the invention, uniformly orotherwise dispersed through the mass of fibrous material. Preferably,such mass of relatively small particles is composed of what iscommercially known as sponge rubber (that is a rubber material having amultitude of small gas bubbles entrapped therein), preferably in amacerated or shredded condition exposing on the various surfaces thereofthe interstioes in the sponge rubber at the boundary layer thereof, andwhich therefore imbues such particles witha particular ailinity to thevarious individual iibers of the mass, which thereby act to hold andretain such particles in a predetermined or otherwise distributedcondition in the mass of iibers. It will be appreciated that when a massof cotton or other bers having a mass of relatively small particles ofsponge rubber interspersed therethrough is employedas a padding, suchpadding will have a softness of touch closely approaching the originalsoftness of touch of a padding made up of a loosely associated mass ofthe fibers alone. It will have this difference, however, that when anyforce which has compressed the padding is relieved, the particles ofsponge rubber will instantly tend to expand to their originally freecondition and in doing so` will act to separate the various bers of themass and return lt t0 its originally loose condition. Thus, a paddingmay be constructed in accordance with the present invention that willhave the characteristic of having a softness of touch that will beretained in substantially unvaried condition throughout its life underordinary usage.

In order to more clearly understand the present invention, reference maybe had to the accompanying drawing and particularly to the constructionillustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 thereof. The mattress, indicated generallyat I I in Fig. l, is of conventional appearance and, except for theparticular construction of the padding hereinafter more clearlydescribed, may be of any suitable or conventional construction. Forinstance, referring to Fig. 2, it will be noted that the mattress II isof the so-called inner-spring type, in which a spring assembly,indicated generally at I2, is positioned interiorly of the mattress andforms a core upon which the padding or covering elements are built up. Apadding element, indicatedv generally at I4, overlies both the top andbottom surfaces of the spring unit I2 and the marginal edge portions ofsuch padding are preferably turned around the marginal edge portions ofthe spring unit I2, as indicated at I6, and suitably secured thereto. Acovering I8 envelopes the whole and is preferably provided with welts orbeads 2li around the outer margins of the top and bottom panels of thecovering. This covering is also preferably provided with openings suchas 22 in the side portions thereof between the layers of padding Il soas to permit relatively free circulation of air through the centralportion of the mattress not only to permit any moisture that may beabsorbed by the padding to be readily dispersed, but also to bettermaintain the mattress inV a sanitary condition by permitting a more orless constant `airing of the same.

In the particular construction illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive,it is the particular construction of the padding I4 with which thepresent invention is concerned. Referring now to Fig. 3 it will be notedthat the padding Il comprises two main layers 24 and 2i, respectively,

the layer 24 being positioned outwardly of the layer 26, but in actualpractice it will be understood that both layers 24 and 26 combine toform a single layer I4. In the construction illustrated in Fig. 3 theouter layer 24, which may be made of any suitable loosely associatedfibers but will ordinarily be formed of cotton in the form of bats, isentirely free of any foreign inclusion. The layer 26, however, which maybe and usually will be formed of the same kind of fibers as the layer24, has interspersed therethroughl a plurality of relatively smallparticles 28 of a material that is readily yieldable but particularlyresistant to taking a permanent set under prolonged compressivestresses. While in the broader aspect of the present invention theseparticles 28` may be formed of any suitable material having a resiliencypreferably approaching that of a cotton bat in which the fibers are in arelatively free state, and materially more resistant to becoming setunder prolonged compressive stresses than the cotton bat itself, suchparticles are preferably formed from soft rubber or compounds thereof,lbut in accordance with a more limited phase of the present inventionthese particles are formed from sponge rubber.

In the broader aspects of the invention these particles 28 may beinterspersed throughout the mass of fibers in the layer 26 uniformly orotherwise and by any desired method. However, it will ordinarily befound most convenient to introduce the particles 28 into the layer 26 byinterposing such particles between the various layers of a cotton bat asillustrated more or less diagrammatically in Fig. 4. This introductionof the particles 28 between the various layers of a bat may beaccomplished after the bat has been formed and even cut to size byseparating the `various layers thereof or combinations of layers thereofand simply sprinkling or otherwise distributing the particles 28 overthe surfacecf such layer or combination of layers. On the other handthese particles 28 may be introduced into the bat during the process ofbuilding it up out of relatively thin individual layers in accordancewith conventional practice in a garnetting machine.

In the construction illustrated in Figs. lfto 4,

l from the ability of the inclusive, the particles 28 are not providedin the v layer 24for the reason that luider some conditions theparticles 28 may create a certain amount of unevenness to the surface ofthe bat containing them and, accordingly, the layer 24 is provided forthe exterior surface of the padding I4 so as to eliminate thepossibility of such unevenness and to enhance the appearance of themattress. The layer 26 of the padding I4, however, is relied upon formaintaining the softness of the padding I4 to the touch. l

As previously mentioned, the particles 28 are preferably formed fromsponge rubberrand preferably formed by mascerating or otherwiseseparating alarger piece of sponge rubber into relatively smallparticles. By following out this procedure, it Will be appreciated thatsubstantially all of the exposed surfaces of such particles present amultitude of relatively small openings or lnterstices therein, formed bythe air bubbles trapped within the rubber during its process ofmanufacture. vItfhas been found that when a particle of sponge rubber ofthe character described is introduced into a loose mass ,of cotton orsimilar fibers, the ends of a great number of such fibers find their wayinto a great many of the small openings in the surface of the particlesstruction is illustrated.

throughout the mass.

and tend to hold themselves therein. Thus such particles have a peculiaraffinity to the fibers which, without `the aid of any other means, serveto adhere one to the other and thus serve to maintain the position ofthe individual particles Thus once the particles are Vdistributedthrough the mass of fibers they invariably retain the relative positionin the mass without material displacement.

It will be understood that when a person rests upon the mattressillustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, the padding layer I4 iscompressed by the weight of such person over the area through which theweight of the person is transmitted to the mattress to a degreedepending upon the distribution of the weight of such person. The layers24 and 26 are both compressed under the application of such weight andboth the particles 28 and the mass of fibers in the layer 26 arecompressed. As soon as such person arises from the mattress and themattress is therefore relieved of the persons weight, the fibers of thelayers 24 and 26 will, of course, tend to return to their origina-lcondition, as will be particles 28. However, because 'of the inherentcharacteristics of such fibers and particularly cotton fibers asconventionally employed in such instances, constant recurrence orprolonged application of such compressive stresses tends to cause apermanent set in the condition of the fibers which, unless corrected,would finally cause the padding to be permanently packed or set and thusrendered less soft to the touch. However, the particles 28 beingmaterially more resistant to taking a permanent set under suchconditions, tend to immediately return to their original free conditionand in doing so separates the various fibers and layers of fibers in thelayer `26 and thus bring the various fibers thereof to their originalcondition of looseness, This action on the part of the particles 28 inreturning the fibers to their original condition of looseness obviouslyeliminates the possibility of the fibers taking a permanent set andmaintains such mass of bers substantially in its original loose stateand thereby prevents a loss of the softness to touch thereof. It may benoted that the inclusion of the rubber particles in the manner describeddoes not detract padding to allow air to seep or circulate through it,and consequently its characteristics in this respect are not impaired.

In Figs. 5, 6 and v'7, amodified form of con- The mattress indicatedgenerally at 30 in these figures is also conventional in appearance and,as in the previously described case, except for the construction of thepadding material itself, is built in a conventional manner. Forinstance, as best illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, an external coveringindi-cated at 32 is provided and preferably with beads orwelts 34 at themargin-al edges thereof corresponding to the beads of welts 20previously described. In this case, however, no inner spring is used.Instead,

`transversely extending wallsor webs 36 of a height equal to the desiredthickness of the mattress, are interposed between and connected to thetop and bottom panels of the cover at more or less regular intervalsover the length of the mattress and preferably extend the full widththereof. In each orf the pockets thus formed between the top and bottom.panels of the covering 32 and between each adjacent pair of walls 36,and between the end walls 36 and the corresponding end walls of thecovering, a mass of padding indicated generally at 88 is insex'ted.While such mass may be in the form of simple superposed layers of cottonor other brous material in bat or other form, ormay be formed by rollingup a bat of such material, the latter is shown by way v of illustrationand accordingly, each mass 38 is made up by taking a suitable length andwidth of cotton bat and simply rolling it up. However, in accordancewith the present invention the 'bats from vwhich the rolls 38 are formedare interspersed with small particles I8 of material corresponding inall respects to the particles 28 jpreviously described, and which may beinserted in or distributed through the bat'in exactly the same manner aspreviously described.

It will be appreciated that the type of mattress illustrated in Figs. 5,6 and 'l is considerably more susceptible to losing its overall softnessor resiliency over a protracted period of use inasmuch as the innersprings employed in the first described construction will retain theirresiliency in substantially unaltered condition throughoutits liferegardless of the fact that the padding I4 may lose its softness totouch. Accordingly, it is much more important in connection with amattress or other padding of the general type lllustrated in Figs. 5, 6and 7 that some means be provided to prevent the fibrous material fromtaking a permanent set under compression and it will also be appreciatedthat the means provided in accordance with the present invention willeffectively accomplish this purpose and that Whenever a compressiveforce on the mattress illustrated in Figs. 5, 6 and 7 is relieved, theparticles 48 in tending to instantly expand and reassume theiroriginally free condition, will tend to loosen up and separate thevarious fibers in the rolls 38 and thus return the bers. to theiroriginally loose condition.

It is not essential that the particles 28 or I0, as the case may be, tobe uniformly dispersed through their corresponding layer or mass of bersas illustrated in Figs. 1 to '1, inclusive, as it-will ber apparent thatunder some conditions a variation in the concentration of such particlesmay be desirable and may readily be provided. For instance, referring toFig. 8 which illustrates a construction of the same general character asillustrated in Figs. 5, 6 and 7, and in which equivalent parts areillustrated by the same numerals except that such numerals bear a primemark, the particles IB' are provided in a condition of greaterconcentrationfin the central portion of the roll 38' than in the outerportion thereof, the concentration gradually becoming less from thecenter outwardly. This may be accomplished by application of theparticles 48' to one end portion only of the bat before it is rolled upinto roll form and in such case it will be appreciated that a conditionsimilar to that provided in the padding layer I4 in the constructionillustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, will result.

On the other hand, and as illustrated in Fig. 9 which also shows aconstruction similar to that shown in Fig. 'Z and in which, accordingly,equivaient parts are indicated by the same numerals except that suchnumerals bear a double prime mark, no particular attempt is made tointersperse the particles I8" throughout the bers of the roll. Instead,such particles are concentrated in the central portion of the roll 38"substantially to the exclusion of the remaining portion ofthe roll 38".This type of construction. may be readily obtained by simply applyingthe entire a,so1,59o

roll 88" to that end of the bat at which the rolling is initiated inrolling `up the bat to form the roll Il. Itwlll also be appreciated thatin the construction illustrated in Fig. 9 the relative size of theparticles Il" does not bear the same importance as in the previouslydescribed constructions but in this case may be substantially larger.

In accordance with a further phase of the present invention, the type ofconstruction illustrated generally inFlgs. 5 to 9, inclusive, may beemployed to obtain still other characteristics in a mattress or otherpadding of the type under discussion. For instance, referring to Fig.10, a

mattress of the general type illustrated in the preceding gures is shownin longitudinal section and with a person resting upon the same. Theindividual rolls of such mattress corresponding with the rolls 38 and/or48 previously described are illustrated at 58 to 59, inclusive. 'Ihemattress-which is indicated generally at 60 in Fig. 10 is shown asresting upon a conventional spring unit 62 in a conventional manner. Nowthe weight of a persons body is generally concentrated to a greaterextent in the area of his hips and to a lesser extent in the area of theshoulders and, accordingly, the rolls 54 and 55 which re- ,ceive thehips are compressed to the greatest extent by the weight of the person,the rolls 51 and 58 supporting the shoulders to a lesser extent, and theremaining rolls a still lesser extent. The brous materials composing therolls 54 and 55 will thus be subjected to a greater tendency towardtaking a permanent set than the rest of prising a spring unit andpadding overlying thel mass of rubber particles to be included in the Ythe rolls, and the material of the rolls 51 and 58 than the remainingrolls. Accordingly, in order to render-'such mattress 68 more or lessequally responsive throughout its length in its tendency to mset anypermanent packing effects thereon, the concentration of the rubberparticles in the rolls 5I and 55 is illustrated as being greater thanthe concentration of such particles in the rolls 51 and 58, and theconcentration of these particles in the latter rolls as being greaterthan in the remaining rolls, and in some cases it may be 4desirable toeven entirely eliminate such particles from the end rolls and 59 whichseldom, if ever, are subjected to any great compressive stresses.Cbviously, this variation in the concentration of the rubber particlesin the rolls or layers of the brous material may be varied throughoutany layer of padding, whether made up of rolls or otherwise to obtainany desired condition or effect.

Other specific' 'adaptations of the principles of the present inventionwill, of course, be apparent to those skilled in the art once theteachings of the present invention are made known to them, andaccordingly it will be understood that formal changes may be made in thespecic embodiment of tha present invention described without departingfrom the spirit and substance of the broad invention, the scope Vofwhich is'commensurate with the appended claim.

' What is claimed is: V

A mattress or other upholstered device comface of said imt and includinga layer of relatively loose bers, a plurality of relatively smallparticles of sponge rubber interspersed through that portion ot saidlayer nearest said spring unit, and that portion of said layer mostremote from said spring unit being substantially devoid of materialammmts of said sponge rubber.

' HARRY E. WELLS.

